- The week-long build up to Berlin's huge "Fly BerMuDa" event at Tempelhof recently provided some of the city's most talked-about venues the opportunity to host huge mid-week parties, as well as providing some lesser-known locations a chance to showcase their strengths to a big international crowd. With the notable (if predictable) exception of Berghain, all the big players were onboard, and Watergate used its slots in BerMuDa week to host a series of label nights from some of the world's biggest imprints. On Thursday, tech house was the order of the day, with Souvenir and Moon Harbour presenting what is undoubtedly one of the biggest sounds in Berlin right now.
Although trendier and more self-conscious than is perhaps typical of Berlin, it's refreshing to be greeted by a crowd with a mixed international feel in a city that can occasionally feel shut-off to outsiders. Down on the Waterfloor, early sets from Luna City Express and Ekkohaus provided a solid taste of what was to come. Sufficiently stripped-back house to tempt people onto the dance floor but sufficiently varied to keep them there, the well-selected blend of new records and familiar tracks set the perfect tone for the party. By the middle of Ekkohaus' set, the Waterfloor was crowded and sweaty.
Upstairs, Tiefschwarz had started early—or at least Ali had. Although initially slightly irked to not find both members in the booth, I was quickly won over by an expertly selected set that sounded quite phenomenal on the club's main soundsystem. Often veering towards a ghetto-tinged sound with vocal-driven tracks, the song selection quickly had the crowd cheering and the whole floor falling headfirst into a memorable, chunky groove.
Downstairs, Matthias Tanzmann pumped out a strong set, but I couldn't help but feel that it was perhaps just a little too much of the same flavour for a single night. Some events push boundaries. Others simply know their strengths and play to them, and tonight is most certainly an example of the latter. While undoubtedly well-crafted, it might have been more interesting to have had a clearer contrast to the action upstairs. Either way, the set was relentlessly fun and the dance floor was busy until well after the sun was high in the grey skies over Oberbaumbrücke.